The Trouble with Harry
There is a dead well-dressed man in a meadow clearing in the hills above a small Vermont town. Captain Albert Wiles, who stumbles across the body and finds by the man's identification that his name is Harry Worp, believes he accidentally shot Harry dead while he was hunting rabbits. Captain Wiles wants to hide the body as he feels it is an easier way to deal with the situation than tell the authorities. While Captain Wiles is in the adjacent forest, he sees other people stumble across Harry, most of whom don't seem to know him or care or notice that he's dead. One person who does see Captain Wiles there is spinster Ivy Gravely, who vows to keep the Captain's secret about Harry. Captain Wiles also secretly sees a young single mother, Jennifer Rogers, who is the one person who does seem to know Harry and seems happy that he's dead. Later, another person who stumbles across both Harry and Captain Wiles is struggling artist Sam Marlowe, to whom Captain Wiles tells the entire story of what he has seen thus far. Over the course of the day, several revelations come to light that question if Captain Wiles actually killed Harry. Sam, Mrs. Rogers, Captain Wiles and Miss Gravely's individual and collective actions in the matter of Harry take into account friendship, self-preservation, the path of least resistance, love and a lot of realizations about what their past actions will mean. Their work may all be for naught if Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs, the closest thing to law enforcement in their town, finds out about Harry.
Despite its small-scale budget of $1.2M, The Trouble with Harry became a commercial success, earning $7.0M worldwide—a 483% return. The film's compelling narrative connected with viewers, illustrating how strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Nominated for 2 BAFTA 1 win & 4 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Trouble with Harry (1955) showcases deliberately positioned narrative architecture, characteristic of Alfred Hitchcock's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 39 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.0, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Sam Marlowe
Jennifer Rogers
Captain Albert Wiles
Miss Graveley
Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs
Arnie Rogers
Main Cast & Characters
Sam Marlowe
Played by John Forsythe
A struggling abstract painter who discovers Harry's body and becomes romantically interested in Jennifer.
Jennifer Rogers
Played by Shirley MacLaine
Harry's estranged wife who believes she may have killed him and tries to protect her son.
Captain Albert Wiles
Played by Edmund Gwenn
A retired sea captain who believes he accidentally shot Harry while hunting rabbits.
Miss Graveley
Played by Mildred Natwick
A proper spinster who develops feelings for Captain Wiles and believes she killed Harry with her shoe.
Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs
Played by Royal Dano
The bumbling local deputy investigating Harry's disappearance and appearances.
Arnie Rogers
Played by Jerry Mathers
Jennifer's innocent young son who matter-of-factly observes the events surrounding the dead body.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The peaceful Vermont autumn landscape is established with vibrant fall colors. Captain Wiles walks through the woods with his rifle, enjoying a quiet hunting expedition in the idyllic countryside.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when The four main characters converge around Harry's body and realize they all have potential connections to his death. Rather than calling the authorities, they collectively decide the body presents a "problem" that must be solved privately.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to The group buries Harry for the first time, committing themselves to the conspiracy of silence. This irreversible act binds them together and launches them into a world of increasingly absurd complications., moving from reaction to action.
At 50 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat The doctor examines Harry (during one of his exhumations) and determines he died of natural causes—a heart attack. This false victory suggests the problem is solved, but the characters realize they still must account for their suspicious behavior and the multiple burials., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The deputy announces he's found evidence of disturbed earth and plans to investigate the burial site. The group faces exposure—their conspiracy is about to unravel, threatening the new relationships and lives they've built during this strange autumn., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 80 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Sam devises a plan: they will dig Harry up one final time and position him to be "discovered" fresh, as if he just collapsed from natural causes. The group commits to this final, coordinated deception that will free them all., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Trouble with Harry's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping The Trouble with Harry against these established plot points, we can identify how Alfred Hitchcock utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Trouble with Harry within the comedy genre.
Alfred Hitchcock's Structural Approach
Among the 20 Alfred Hitchcock films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.6, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Trouble with Harry takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Alfred Hitchcock filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Alfred Hitchcock analyses, see Family Plot, The Birds and Vertigo.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The peaceful Vermont autumn landscape is established with vibrant fall colors. Captain Wiles walks through the woods with his rifle, enjoying a quiet hunting expedition in the idyllic countryside.
Theme
When young Arnie discovers the body and casually reports it, his mother Jennifer remarks that some things are better left alone—foreshadowing the film's meditation on how ordinary people handle inconvenient truths and moral complications.
Worldbuilding
The quirky Vermont community is introduced: Captain Wiles discovers Harry's body and assumes his stray shot killed him; Jennifer Rogers recognizes Harry as her troublesome ex-husband; Miss Gravely admits she hit Harry with her hiking shoe; and painter Sam Marlowe takes an artistic rather than alarmed interest in the corpse.
Disruption
The four main characters converge around Harry's body and realize they all have potential connections to his death. Rather than calling the authorities, they collectively decide the body presents a "problem" that must be solved privately.
Resistance
The characters debate what to do with Harry. Captain Wiles wants to bury the evidence; Jennifer wants to ensure no one is blamed for killing her abusive ex-husband; Miss Gravely frets about scandal; Sam sees the situation as an interesting puzzle. They decide to bury Harry as night falls.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The group buries Harry for the first time, committing themselves to the conspiracy of silence. This irreversible act binds them together and launches them into a world of increasingly absurd complications.
Mirror World
Sam begins courting Jennifer, and a romantic subplot emerges. Their budding relationship, built over the shared absurdity of Harry's repeated burials, represents how genuine human connection can flourish even amid dark circumstances.
Premise
The dark comedy premise delivers: Harry is repeatedly dug up and reburied as new information surfaces. Each character has moments of believing they're the true killer. Sam paints, courts Jennifer, and treats the macabre situation with bemused detachment. Captain Wiles and Miss Gravely develop their own unlikely romance.
Midpoint
The doctor examines Harry (during one of his exhumations) and determines he died of natural causes—a heart attack. This false victory suggests the problem is solved, but the characters realize they still must account for their suspicious behavior and the multiple burials.
Opposition
Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs becomes increasingly suspicious of the group's behavior. A wealthy art collector arrives wanting to buy Sam's paintings, but the sale hinges on establishing Sam's good character. The need to appear normal while hiding their secret creates mounting pressure and comic tension.
Collapse
The deputy announces he's found evidence of disturbed earth and plans to investigate the burial site. The group faces exposure—their conspiracy is about to unravel, threatening the new relationships and lives they've built during this strange autumn.
Crisis
The characters grapple with the imminent discovery. Sam and Jennifer's relationship hangs in the balance. The art sale that would secure Sam's future is jeopardized. They must find a way to make Harry's death appear natural and recent.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Sam devises a plan: they will dig Harry up one final time and position him to be "discovered" fresh, as if he just collapsed from natural causes. The group commits to this final, coordinated deception that will free them all.
Synthesis
The plan is executed with comic precision. Harry is exhumed and repositioned. The doctor "discovers" the body and pronounces death by natural causes. The art dealer completes his purchase of Sam's paintings. Captain Wiles proposes to Miss Gravely. All threads resolve satisfactorily.
Transformation
Sam and Jennifer plan their future together, the art sale secured. The Vermont autumn remains beautiful and undisturbed. The trouble with Harry is finally over—he's officially dead of natural causes, and life in the village continues with two new couples formed from the conspiracy.